Views from a United Church of Christ Minister

Friday, September 09, 2005

Family Research Council Writes Back To Defend Their Record

A few weeks ago I posted this note:

The Family Research Council – headed by Tony Perkins – sent me a letter today asking for money so that he can effectively fight for my family in Washington, DC (click here to read the letter). Most of his letter dealt with gay marriage and his work to fight “liberal special interests.” I wrote him back this evening (click here to read my letter) and asked about all the issues he left out. Isn’t hunger a family values issue? Isn’t homelessness? Aren’t good schools for young kids a family values issues? Tony Perkins and his friends seem so obsessed with their fear of gays that they’ve forgotten that families are struggling in America and could use champions on Capitol Hill fighting their cause.

Well, the FRC wrote me back to explain they really did care about people living in poverty and pointed to their support of the 1996 welfare reform bill as an example of their caring (the bill imposed limits on government aid to the poor and was opposed by most churches). The goal of welfare reform should have been poverty reduction. Sadly, poverty has increased.

FRC also wanted me to know their on-going campaigns against basic civil rights for gays and lesbians wasn’t based in hate – but in their concern over sinful behavior.

The real sin is in the actions of the FRC which clearly does not not take positions that would help lift people out of poverty and in their campaign against gays and lesbians.

Comments

Family Research Council Writes Back To Defend Their Record

A few weeks ago I posted this note:

The Family Research Council – headed by Tony Perkins – sent me a letter today asking for money so that he can effectively fight for my family in Washington, DC (click here to read the letter). Most of his letter dealt with gay marriage and his work to fight “liberal special interests.” I wrote him back this evening (click here to read my letter) and asked about all the issues he left out. Isn’t hunger a family values issue? Isn’t homelessness? Aren’t good schools for young kids a family values issues? Tony Perkins and his friends seem so obsessed with their fear of gays that they’ve forgotten that families are struggling in America and could use champions on Capitol Hill fighting their cause.

Well, the FRC wrote me back to explain they really did care about people living in poverty and pointed to their support of the 1996 welfare reform bill as an example of their caring (the bill imposed limits on government aid to the poor and was opposed by most churches). The goal of welfare reform should have been poverty reduction. Sadly, poverty has increased.

FRC also wanted me to know their on-going campaigns against basic civil rights for gays and lesbians wasn’t based in hate – but in their concern over sinful behavior.

The real sin is in the actions of the FRC which clearly does not not take positions that would help lift people out of poverty and in their campaign against gays and lesbians.

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